28DL Full Member

This was my second visit during the day (fourth overall) to Manby and my first visit with my DSLR, although, due to the amount of people that explore the building, it is constantly changing with previously locked doors being opened and new areas accessed in some way which somewhat changed my plan to be a tour guide as I was the only one out of the four of us that went that had been before. This created a whole new experience.

What is RAF Manby Hall?

RAF Manby Hall opened in 1938 as Lincolnshire's first airfield to have a paved runway which was camouflaged after it's construction. It was also used to test a prototype cross wind screen to protect aircraft from cross winds that frequently occurred in the Lincolnshire Wolds.

The first residents where the No.1 Air Armament School who were responsible for training all aspects of the RAF's firepower. The base saw extensive use during the course of World War Two from hosting a wide variety of aircraft to becoming an important training centre. RAF Manby Hall, as a military institution, officially closed on the 31st of March, 1974. The main building was later used as a nursing home before a large fire destroyed the western side of the building, closing the site indefinitely.

Photos

Debased Keyboard - This yellowed keyboard couldn't of been used in the RAF days...So why is it here?

Plaque - A plaque adorning a large emblem of the West Midlands Fire Service.

Stage - Located in the run down bar, this small stage is now a former silent ghost of what it used to be in the past.

Abandoned Armchair - Who knows how many times this armchair has been used?

Skeleton - Found on a broken window, this adds a touch of eeriness to the atmosphere.

Empty Doorway - Who was the last person to use this entrance?

Precisa Listing Machine - The age of this relic is a well preserved look into the past.

Main Hall - Standing in this empty hall as you first enter RAF Manby gives you a unparalleled example of what the building has become.

RAF Manby Hall - RAF Manby Hall is a classic example of Neo-Georgian architecture that was popular in the 1930s.